Pfal. xcii. 13. Thofe that be planted in the house of the Lord, hall flourish in the courts of our God. The word edifies them, If. lv. 10. 11. The facraments

frengthen and confirm them, as they did the eunuch, who went on his way rejoicing, Acts viii. 39. Prayer and other holy exercises profit them, to their fpiritual increase. But all by the influences of his Spirit in them, If. xliv. 3. 4.

(2.) In providences. Mercies are bleed to them for this end, If. lxvi. 11. 12. Croffes, John xv. 2. Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. And often have the people of God grown moft under the weights of afflictions. But this alfo is by communion with Chrift in them, Phil. i, 19. I know that this fhall turn to my falvation through the fupply of the Spirit of Jefus Chrift.

FOURTHLY, I proceed to thew the difference betwixt true and falfe growth. As hypocrites may have feeming grace, though not real, fo that feeming grace may grow, Matth. xiii. 5. There is a twofold difference.

1. True Chriftian growth is univerfal, Eph. iv. 15. Falfe growth is only in fome particular things. The true Chriftian grows in all the parts of fpiritual life proportionably; for all the graces of the Spirit are link, ed together, fo that when one grows, they all grow. Such a difference there is betwixt them as betwixt a well-thriving child and a ricketty one. The former grows proportionably in all the parts, the body, legs, arms, &c. The other grows too, but grows not fo; the head grows big, but the body grows not. So the hypocrite may get more knowledge, but no more tenderness, holinefs, &c. He is not outwardly, but inwardly cold as to the life of religion.

2. The hypocrite foon comes to a fland, the Chri ftian goes on to perfection, Luke viii. 14. Fhil. iii. 13, 14. They have their meature; and when they have come to that, they ftand like the door on the hinges: but the true Chriflian is going on, labouring to be ho

ly as God is holy, 1 John iii. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure. FIFTHLY, I am to fhew whether true grace grows always.

1. It does not always grow, nor at every particular feafon. It has its winters and decays, as well as its fpring and growing times, Rev. ii. 4. I have fomewhat against thee, because thou haft left thy first love. Yet,

2. It never decays utterly, 1 John iii. 9. Whosoever is born of God, his feed remaineth in him. The flame of it may go out, but there is always a live coal left, though under the ashes, which the influences of the Spirit will blow up again. It will not always be win. ter; Hof. xiv. 7. They that dwell under his shadow hall return, they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the

vine.

3. A Chriftian may be growing, and yet not be fenfible of it. If one judge of his cafe by prefent feel. ing, he may be mistaken, Mark iv. 27. If one fix his eyes on the fun or a tree, he cannot perceive the one moving or the other growing. But compare the tree with what it was fome years ago, the place where the fun now is, with where it was in the morning; fo fhall ye know the remarkable difference. And the very fame difference may be obferved in the growth of a Chriftian.

Again, the growth is not to be meafured only by the top, but by the root too. If a tree be taking with the ground, and fpreading its roots there, it is furely growing. And though Chriftians may want the con folations and flashes of affections they fometimes had; yet if they be growing in tendernefs, humility, felfdenial, c. it is true Chriftian growth.

Inf. 1. This may caufe fear and trembling to,

1. Apoftates, who inftead of growing are gone back to their former courfes of profaneness and impiety. Fallen ftars were never ftars but in appearance, and

fearful will be their doom, Heb. x. 38. If any màn draw back, my foul fhall have no pleafure in him.

2. Those who are at a ftand in the way of religion. They have come up to a form of godliness, and they are like the door on the hinges. They are not ftriving

to be forward in mortification.

3. Those who are growing worfe inftead of growing better. They are like dead trees; fummer and winter is alike to them; they are never the better for all the warnings from the Lord's word or providence: but whatever God fays by providences or ordinances, they go on their own way, adding one finful ftep to another.

Inf. 2. Improve ordinances for fpiritual growth. O, it is fad to be fitting under means of grace, but never growing. This is the ready way to provoke the Lord to remove ordinances.

Inf. 3. Let the least spark of true grace be nourished, for it will grow, If. xlii. 3.

Inf. 4. Lastly, Labour to be growing Chriftians.

II. Of Perfeverance in Grace.

PERSEVERANCE in grace

is another benefit

flowing from, or accompanying justification.

Here I fhall fhew,

1. What this perfeverance is.

2. How it is to be understood.

3. That the faints fhall perfevere to the end.

4. What are thofe things which make hypocrites fall away, but over the belly of which faints perse

vere.

5. The grounds of the perfeverance of the faints. 6. The means of perfeverance.

7. Lastly, Apply.

FIRST, I fhall fhew what this perfeverance is. To perfevere, is to continue and abide in a state into which one is brought. And this perfeverance is a

firm and conftant continuance in the ftate of grace, even to the end of one's life, Matth. x. 22. Col. i. 2 3. It is opposed to total apoftafy, and utter falling away from grace. It is continuing and holding on, joined to a good beginning.

SECONDLY, I am to fhew how this perfeverance is to be understood.

1. It is not to be understood of all who profess Chrift. Hypocrites may be feeming faints, and may have feeming grace, which may blaze for a while, and afterwards be quite extinguished, totally and finally loft, John vi. 66. There are temporary believers, who continue for a while, but having no root, do wither quite away, Matth. xiii. 21. Mere outfide Chriftians, and Chriftians in the letter, may so apoftatize, as to lofe all and never recover.

2. It is to be understood of all real faints, thofe who are endowed with faving grace. Those who, by virtue of regeneration, may call God their Father, as well as the church their mother, fhall abide in his family, and never fall out of it, John viii. 35. Though the counterfeit of grace may be utterly loft, yet real grace cannot. We own,

(1.) Saints may lose the evidence of grace, fo that they cannot difcern it in themselves. Thus it may fuffer an eclipfe, If. 1. 10. Sometimes a child of God not only believes, loves, &c. but knows he does fo: but at other times it may be out of his fight, so as he may apprehend he has none. The jewel may fall by, though it cannot fall away; and the fpiritual husband may lock up himself in his chamber from his fpouse, though he never quite leaves the house.

(2.) Saints may lofe the exercife of grace, Cant. v. 2. Though the holy fire be not quite put out, yet it may ceafe to flame for a while; though they have fpiritual armour lying by them, they may be fo benumbed with the prevailing of corruption, that they cannot wield it. Wife virgins may flumber and fleep, as well as the foolish.

(3) They may lofe much of the measure of grace they have had. True grace, though it cannot die out, yet is fubject to languishing and decays in the ftrength thereof, Rev. iii. 2. They may lofe much of their love to God and one another, Rev. ii. 4. ; much of their former tenderness, as David's heart fmote him when he cut off the lap of Saul's garinent, but afterwards was guilty of murder and adultery; much of their liveliness in duties, Rev. iii. 2. and fo of other graces. But,

[1] Saints can never lofe grace finally, fo as never to recover it, 1 Pet. i. 5. John vi. 39. No doubt a child of God may ftray away from the Lord, as well as another but though a fervant may go, and never return to the house, yet a fon will be fought out and brought back again, Pfal. cxix. ult. John xiii. 35% And the fervant abideth not in the house for ever; but the Son abideth ever. So however far the faints may go wrong, the Lord will recover them.

[2.] Saints never lofe grace totally neither; they never lofe it altogether, though for ever fo fhort a while, 1 John iii. 9. Their lamp may burn dim, but it is never quite put out; they may fall back, fall very low, fo as themselves and others may have little hopes of their recovery, but they never fall off, never fall away, Pfal. xxxvii. 24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly caft down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Both thefe hold true of relative grace; that is, there is no falling out of the ftate of juftification, adoption, union with Chrift, peace with God, the love of God, &c. and of inherent grace, faith, love, the fear of God, &c.

THIRDLY, I proceed to fhew that the faints fhall perfevere to the end. This is evident from,

1. The Lord's own promises. He has faid it, and will he not do it? John x. 28. 29. Pfal. cxxv. I. They that trust in the Lord fhall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. It is true, they have many enemies that watch to do them mischief, X X

VOL. II.